William Grundy (February 20, 1923 - February 9, 1993), commonly called Bill, was a British television presenter and was the host of Thames Television's Today show in the 1970s. is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Thames Television was a franchise holder of the British ITV television network, serving London on weekdays between 1968 and 1992. ...

Biography

Born in Manchester, Grundy began his career as a journalist there and was the first television presenter to present The Beatles on Granada Television on October 17, 1962. He appeared on several TV shows, including People and Places and Man About the House, but his greatest claim to fame was as host of the Today show. This article is about the City of Manchester in England. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Man About the House was a British sitcom, made by Thames Television for ITV. It ran for six series, between August 1973 and April 1976. ...

His son Tim Grundy is a popular radio presenter in the Manchester area. His other son Nick Grundy lives and teaches English in France.

The Today show incident

Grundy became infamous in a matter of two minutes due to an incident that occurred when the punk band Sex Pistols and their entourage appeared at short notice on the Today show of December 1, 1976. They were a last minute stand-in for Queen, who were forced to cancel. The Today show was broadcast during daytime hours, at a time when bad language was forbidden. Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Sex Pistols are an iconic and highly influential English punk rock band, formed in London in 1975. ... is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Queen are an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, and drummer Roger Taylor, with bassist John Deacon joining the following year. ...

Grundy proceeded to introduce and provoke the band, with tongue firmly in cheek. He joked that he was under the influence as he introduced them - "...they are as drunk as I am!". Steve Jones when asked by Grundy what the band had done with the £40,000 given to them by their record company said: "Fuckin' spent it" which was apparently not noticed by Grundy at the time. This was followed by two more uses of the word 'fuck' by Jones (only the fourth and fifth occurrences of this ever on British Television). Following this, Johnny Rotten muttered the word "shit" under his breath, but then mumbled an apology. Grundy insisted that Lydon repeat what he had said, and then responded mockingly when Lydon complied. John Joseph Lydon (born January 31, 1956), also known as Johnny Rotten, is an English rock musician. ...

Next, Grundy jokingly began to "chat up" Siouxsie Sioux, who appeared as part of the band's entourage, by saying "let's meet afterwards shall we?" The show went downhill from there. Steve Jones responded by calling Grundy a "dirty sod", a "dirty old man" and "you dirty bastard". Grundy further goaded Jones to "say something outrageous", a challenge Jones was ready to meet. He called Grundy a "dirty fucker" (to which Grundy mockingly responded "what a clever boy") and finally proclaimed "what a fucking rotter". As the show ended, Grundy could be seen saying "oh shit" as the credits rolled and as the band began dancing to the closing theme. Susan Janet Ballion (born May 27, 1957 in Bromley, London), better known by her stage name, Siouxsie Sioux (IPA: , pronounced the same way as Susie Sue), is the lead singer of both the influential rock band Siouxsie & the Banshees and of its splinter group The Creatures. ... The Bromley Contingent were a group of followers and fans of the Sex Pistols. ... Stephen Phillip Jones (b. ...

Although Today was only shown in the London ITV region, it became a national story due to coverage and comment by the tabloid press. As a result, Grundy was suspended for two weeks and Today was axed two months later. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see ITV (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The broadcast wrecked Grundy's television career. His presenting slot on What the Papers Say in the early 1980s was his last on national British television, although he continued to present on BBC North West on such shows as "Sweet And Sour" and "The Lancashire Lads" into the mid-80s. He also appeared as an interviewer in ITV's adaptation of "A Kind of Loving" in 1982. Grundy died of a heart attack on 9 February 1993 at the age of 69. After his death, the job of writing his obituary went to his friend and colleague Brian Inglis. On February 11, 1993, Inglis himself died. What The Papers Say, is one of the longest running programmes on British television. ... A Kind of Loving is a novel by the English novelist Stan Barstow. ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Obituary for World War I death An obituary is a notice of the death of a person, usually published in a newspaper, written or commissioned by the newspaper, and usually including a short biography. ... Brian Inglis (31 July 1916-11 February 1993) was a British journalist, historian and television presenter. ... is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

The incident is featured in the Television Personalities' 1978 song "Where's Bill Grundy Now?", from their Part Time Punks EP. The Television Personalities are also an English rock group. ...

External links

• Transcript of interview with the Sex Pistols
• Manchester Celebrities